People and pets stay away: this summer’s Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation (FVHCF) photo contest is all about pure, unadulterated Chilliwack beauty.
The best part? All funds pour right back into the Chilliwack community.
FVHCF marketing and database co-ordinator Lisa Luky says highlighting Chilliwack’s beautiful scenery was a natural choice when they started bouncing around ideas for a Chilliwack General Hospital fundraiser.
“Tons of people take their camera out and about and all over the place,” Luky says. “There’s iPhone photography now, so everyone’s got a camera with them.”
The fundraiser is a two-part process; the photograph entry fees will cover the cost of printing a calendar with the best 12 images from the contest, and calendar sales in the fall will be the main fundraiser.
All proceeds will be passed on to the hospital, which is currently in the midst of renovations.
After all, it’s all about keeping it in the community.
“When we do a project in a community, or if a donor gives us money from a community, it stays in that community,” Luky says, explaining FVHCF’s mandate. The organization supports hospitals in Chilliwack, Mission, Abbotsford, and Hope through fundraisers like this one, ranging from Run for Mom to charity breakfasts.
With a staff of only five people between all four communities, Luky says there’s a lot of legwork—but it’s worth it, especially with such strong community support.
London Drugs donated a $250 gift card for first prize in contest, and Luky is in the process of organizing other businesses to sell the calendar when the contest ends in the fall.
But the first step is getting the photos together—and the FVHCF team can’t wait to see what they get.
“People are pretty proud of how beautiful it is in Chilliwack—you’ve got the mountains, you’ve got the farms—so it’s kind of a natural fit,” Luky concludes with a smile. “We have all summer.”
• The contest deadline is Sept. 15, and the entry fee is $20 for the first photo and $10 for each additional entry. Guidelines specify scenery only—no people or pets. Submit photos in jpeg format to FVHCF1@gmail.com and find more information at www.FVHCF.org/events.